Paintings and Siblings
by From the End of Heaven
Summary: Alex never shows All of her artwork to anyone. Justin-centric. Jalex if you squint.
1. Chapter 1

**Let it be said that I do not own Wizards of Waverly Place.**

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She never shows her family all of her artwork. Even Harper hasn't seen it all.

As her painting improved, she started painting presents for their parents, Harper and even Max, nothing for Justin. He wasn't sure what to think about that yet.

He's about to leave for NYU- if that could be called leaving. In the moments where he's truly honest with himself he knows that he's staying close to home for her, those moments don't happen too often. To counterbalance the fact that he's not leaving the state for school, he decides to move into the dorms. His Mom isn't too happy about that, evident by how clingy she's gotten.

Dad and Max have plans for his vacated room. (Dad wants to turn it into a home theatre, Max wants to put in a pool filled with pudding.) Surprisingly Alex insists that they leave his room alone with their mom backing her up.

After that Alex is withdrawn. Justin is a little worried.

The night before he is due to leave he is laying in his bed, trying to sleep. Key word: trying. His mind is racing, thoughts of anticipation and worries. He hears his door open and the soft padding of feet, at first he thinks it could be either of his parents- but something tells him that it's not. He stiffly sits up in bed and whisper-yells

"Who's there?"

"It's just me, chill out." sounds a recognizable annoyed voice.

"Alex?" he leans over and switches on his bedside light.

She's wearing her painting clothes her hair in a ponytail with dried paint in her hair. She's holding what looks like a present.

Alex follows his eyes from her face to the present, back up to her face.

"It's for you" she explains simply. "I was just going to leave it here for you" Her eyes are averted from his. She sits next to him and looks up as she offers it to him. Her eyes tell him it's something special to her. His eyes look at her questioningly; she gives him a tight smile and nods. He handles the present gently. He tears at the paper and removes the top from the box. He inhales sharply. She is watching him closely. He picks up the canvas- it's a painting.

It's a painting of them as children. Their mom snapped many pictures of them as children- but there was one picture that was his favorite. He was 7 and she was 5, she had just fallen a cut her knee- Justin being the brother that he is administered to the wound, the snapshot was taken just after Justin hugged her- he was trying to cheer her up with cookies, their mom took the photo just as Justin was laughing, and Alex was looking at him with a smile. Something about her eyes in that picture, told Justin that Alex did appreciate him. That picture is what made him willing to help her out of everything she got into.

Alex recreated the photo in the top left corner of the canvas adding her own artistic flair- on the right side was the prominent feature. Them, older, and Alex looking at him just like she was in the photo, and Justin smiling back at her, the surroundings blurred reds and violets.

Justin looked at his sister, his eyes beginning to water, her face is impassive- he knows she's holding back on him. He lays down the painting down and encircles her before she can escape.

"Thank you Alex." He breathes in her ear. "Thank you so much" Her body relaxes into his, and she reciprocates. They hold each other for a while- enjoying the silence and the comfort of their embrace.

Alex's voice breaks as she says into his ear "I just wanted you to know."


	2. Chapter 2

**I didn't expect there to be another part to Paintings&Siblings- but here it is. **

**This part definitely has more Jalex implications- just to warn you. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Wizards of Waverly Place- if I did, I'd probably trade it for iCarly. Oh Spencer how you amuse me! **

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It's been 5 years since Alex gave him the painting. She never gives him any others- he doesn't feel neglected, (sometimes he thinks maybe he should) she gave him the one he didn't know he wanted. He felt that nothing could top it. Its Labor Day weekend and their Dad insists that everyone comes home for some quality family time.

Justin is packing to go back home, he comes across the painting in the closet. It's one of his most prized possessions- but he doesn't feel like having it on display for everyone to see. It still feels like something just between him and Alex- he can't really explain it. One of his first college girlfriends saw the painting in his room; she looked at it curiously, and asked him about it.

"Oh that's just something my little sister gave me before I left." He tells her without too much thought.

"Your little sister paints?" she asks, there is a look in her eye that he can't quite decipher (they haven't been together all that long) and his mind is on advanced chemistry at the moment so he just answers simply

"Yes."

She eyes the painting again and looks at him with another gaze he can't translate. He firmly moves the subject back to chemistry- and they never speak of it again. They don't date for much longer anyway. After that he stores the painting in his closet, and none of his girlfriends after that ever see it. No one ever sees it- except for him.

His parents close down the sub shop for the weekend. His Dad must have really missed them. Justin hugs his parents- they cling to him a little long. When he first went to NYU he came home every weekend and any time he could manage, now he would make it back home every month or so for a Sunday dinner- and that was when his mother threatened his life.

He ruffles Max's hair and asks him how things are without his summer camp counselor job. Max shrugs and answers "Not as much peanut butter" Justin grins and doesn't ask any more questions. Alex still hasn't arrived from school yet, she's home 2 hours after Justin gets back- he's relieved that his parents will now focus on her. She hugs their parents close, Justin smirks- as much as she wanted to be independent and parent free through her teen years, she's now homesick. Max tackles her in a hug- and she responses just as enthusiastically. She turns to Justin, he can see her formulating a smart remark- he decides to forgo that part of the reunion and silences her with a hug. He can feel her grin into his shoulder.

They are at the park for a picnic- Max joined in a game of Frisbee with some kids, his talent for making friends apparent. Alex brought her sketch pad and was currently making use of it- her brow furrowed. Justin retiring from the game of Frisbee took a seat next to her- curious to see her work. She is so engrossed that she doesn't even glance over at him. It's of the older couple sitting on a bench across the way. He smiles, glad that at least in her art she embraces her emotions.

Something about the way Alex depicted them felt familiar to him- he couldn't place it.

That fancy art school she attended was obviously helping her older proud brother in him thinks she could've gotten most of the way there on her own. She was always talented at art, always drew well, but now the strokes of her pencil had more purpose, more definition.

"Wow" his voice breaks the silence.

"Thanks" She says, assuming he's talking about her drawing, which of course he is- but he can't miss an opportunity to annoy her.

"Oh, your drawing is good too, I guess."

Alex glares at him for his cheek, smirks and then turns back to her drawing. Justin observes her- She had grown her hair long again, it was currently knotted up in a bun- held together by pencils. He saw maturity had started to touch her face it even reached into her eyes. It was strange to think how old they had grown. It felt like yesterday that they were 7 and 9- when Alex held some respect for him. His eyes turned back to her drawing the familiarity of it still gnawing at him.

"Something about this feels familiar" He says.

"Really Justin- we haven't been to the park as a family that many times."

Justin disregards her. "No your drawing, I can't pin-point it. It's just so familiar- like déjà vu." He looks towards the couple she's drawing- he doesn't see her stiffen momentarily.

"You've seen so much of my work- it all starts to feel the same" She says fidgeting.

"Maybe" His tone doubting, he stares at the picture again. "Actually I haven't seen most of your art"

"You've seen plenty." Is her quick reply

Justin mumbles in that same doubting tone.

"So, what are your plans?" Alex asks, Justin is so distracted that he doesn't notice her steering the converstaion.

"Plans?"

"Plans. I'm sure you have a very detailed 5 year plan already in motion, now that you are nearly done with school"

"Actually at the moment, I have no idea what I want to do." He picks at the grass.

Alex gawks at him. "What?" He asks

"You- you, Justin Russo don't know what you want to do."

He nodded.

Alex let out a low whistle. "I'm stunned." He smiles, stunning Alex always feels rewarding.

"So what are you going to do then?"

He sighs "There are tons of things I can do with my degree so I'll keep working and keep exploring the possibilities."

"That sounds like you." She smiles at him- it carries pride and a hint of sarcasm.

Their parents join them and praise Alex's work; she hurriedly puts it away soon after.

Later that night when they're at home Justin passes her room- its late and light is coming from underneath her door. He doesn't know what urges him to stop, but he does. Rather than knock he cracks open the door. She's sitting at her drawing desk, intently working. She doesn't even notice him as he walks up behind her.

"You're up late" She nearly jumps.

"Justin! Never scare an Artist while they're drawing!"

"Sorry" Her eyes narrow at him, she turns back to the drawing. She's putting finishing touches on the depiction from the park.

"It really does look good." He tells her almost in apology for scaring her- and for the park.

"Thanks, now go away" Years ago he would purposely stay there just to bug her- but now he's tired and doesn't want to play that game. He shrugs and says goodnight. He doesn't see her pause mid pencil stroke at his actions.

He's lying in bed drifting off to sleep when he hears a noise, he snaps awake. It wasn't the noise itself but the memory it causes.

He's instantly up- and walking with purpose to Alex's room. The light is still on. He enters again without invitation or warning. She's still sitting at her desk- turned in her seat to the door.

"What?"

He says nothing- but strides to her desk and picks up the illustration. He knew why it was familiar. He turned to Alex- like most siblings no words needed to be spoken. He knew- and from her expression and eyes she knew too.

She echoes her words from so long ago.

"I just wanted you to know."

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**Reviews are love.**


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